Darcy Paul wrote:

I can't help but be amazed at how little roots it takes to collect a tree
from the wild... except when I try! Bonsai Today Jan/Feb 04 issue. Does
anyone have any really good information on proper technique for collecting?
I find articles like that very interesting but also vague.

Darcy
Zone 3b
Red Deer, AB, CDN

Darcy:
Kevin's observations are well-taken. As he said, the way in which you collect a
tree is very dependent upon which species it is. In my area, I collect naturalized
honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowi) with trunks in excess of 8 inches with almost no
fine roots. This is the exception rather than the rule. I have found that with
many deciduous species a decent sized specimen (3-4" diameter) can be collected by
digging a foot or so from the trunk. Smaller specimens require less. The species
I've collected in this way include crabapple, apple, red oak, red maple, sugar
maple, black cherry, and a few more I can't recall.

I hav found that evergreens are less forgiving than deciduous trees with having
most of their root mass left in the ground, which is why I often limit my
collecting in the wild to deciduous species unless they're fairly small conifers.

The best piece of advice I can give you is to go with an experienced collector in
your area or an area similar to yours, and learn from them. Don't do what I
did--learn by trial and error. Many of the trees I collected in my first year died
because of my ignorance.

Craig Cowing
NY
zone 5b/6a Sunset 37

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Ken Rutledge++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Hello Darcy,

If you want to go collecting, then come along on the annual collecting
trip of the Bonsai Society of Edmonton. It is on the second weekend of May
every year and we collect west of you near Rocky Mountain House and out past
Nordegg. We've been doing this since our Society was formed more than twenty
(20) years ago. Contact me off-list for details and a meeting place.

Best wishes in bonsai,
Les Dowdell
President, Bonsai Society of Edmonton

p.s. We have met. You took the bonsai course from me at Olds long, long
ago. Les

On Sat, 13 Mar 2004 20:49:12 GMT, Darcy Paul wrote:

Sadly I am unaware of anyone in my area that collects. There is only one
other person I know of that even is interested in bonsai in my area. Neither
of use has much experience.

Thanks for the advise,
Darcy


************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Ken Rutledge++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Hello Darcy,

If you want to go collecting, then come along on the annual collecting
trip of the Bonsai Society of Edmonton. It is on the second weekend of May
every year and we collect west of you near Rocky Mountain House and out past
Nordegg. We've been doing this since our Society was formed more than twenty
(20) years ago. Contact me off-list for details and a meeting place.

Best wishes in bonsai,
Les Dowdell
President, Bonsai Society of Edmonton

p.s. We have met. You took the bonsai course from me at Olds long, long
ago. Les

On Sat, 13 Mar 2004 20:49:12 GMT, Darcy Paul wrote:

Sadly I am unaware of anyone in my area that collects. There is only one
other person I know of that even is interested in bonsai in my area. Neither
of use has much experience.

Thanks for the advise,
Darcy


************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Ken Rutledge++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Hello Darcy,

If you want to go collecting, then come along on the annual collecting
trip of the Bonsai Society of Edmonton. It is on the second weekend of May
every year and we collect west of you near Rocky Mountain House and out past
Nordegg. We've been doing this since our Society was formed more than twenty
(20) years ago. Contact me off-list for details and a meeting place.

Best wishes in bonsai,
Les Dowdell
President, Bonsai Society of Edmonton

p.s. We have met. You took the bonsai course from me at Olds long, long
ago. Les

On Sat, 13 Mar 2004 20:49:12 GMT, Darcy Paul wrote:

Sadly I am unaware of anyone in my area that collects. There is only one
other person I know of that even is interested in bonsai in my area. Neither
of use has much experience.

Thanks for the advise,
Darcy


************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Ken Rutledge++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Hello Darcy,

If you want to go collecting, then come along on the annual collecting
trip of the Bonsai Society of Edmonton. It is on the second weekend of May
every year and we collect west of you near Rocky Mountain House and out past
Nordegg. We've been doing this since our Society was formed more than twenty
(20) years ago. Contact me off-list for details and a meeting place.

Best wishes in bonsai,
Les Dowdell
President, Bonsai Society of Edmonton

p.s. We have met. You took the bonsai course from me at Olds long, long
ago. Les

On Sat, 13 Mar 2004 20:49:12 GMT, Darcy Paul wrote:

Sadly I am unaware of anyone in my area that collects. There is only one
other person I know of that even is interested in bonsai in my area. Neither
of use has much experience.

Thanks for the advise,
Darcy


************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Ken Rutledge++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Hello Darcy,

If you want to go collecting, then come along on the annual
collecting
trip of the Bonsai Society of Edmonton. It is on the second
weekend of May
every year and we collect west of you near Rocky Mountain House
and out past
Nordegg. We've been doing this since our Society was formed
more than twenty
(20) years ago. Contact me off-list for details and a meeting
place.

Best wishes in bonsai,
Les Dowdell
President, Bonsai Society of Edmonton



Highly recommended, Darcy. By the end of the trip, you should
actually know what you are doing and have some tips on keeping
your newly collected TREE (note the singular! :-) alive.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Apples and
Oranges: A Demonstration -- Welcome to Hooterville! Population:
2000. Elevation: 3000. Established: 1850. TOTAL = 6850 -- Bob
Lilienfield

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Ken Rutledge++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Hello Darcy,

If you want to go collecting, then come along on the annual
collecting
trip of the Bonsai Society of Edmonton. It is on the second
weekend of May
every year and we collect west of you near Rocky Mountain House
and out past
Nordegg. We've been doing this since our Society was formed
more than twenty
(20) years ago. Contact me off-list for details and a meeting
place.

Best wishes in bonsai,
Les Dowdell
President, Bonsai Society of Edmonton



Highly recommended, Darcy. By the end of the trip, you should
actually know what you are doing and have some tips on keeping
your newly collected TREE (note the singular! :-) alive.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Apples and
Oranges: A Demonstration -- Welcome to Hooterville! Population:
2000. Elevation: 3000. Established: 1850. TOTAL = 6850 -- Bob
Lilienfield

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Ken Rutledge++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Hello Darcy,

If you want to go collecting, then come along on the annual
collecting
trip of the Bonsai Society of Edmonton. It is on the second
weekend of May
every year and we collect west of you near Rocky Mountain House
and out past
Nordegg. We've been doing this since our Society was formed
more than twenty
(20) years ago. Contact me off-list for details and a meeting
place.

Best wishes in bonsai,
Les Dowdell
President, Bonsai Society of Edmonton



Highly recommended, Darcy. By the end of the trip, you should
actually know what you are doing and have some tips on keeping
your newly collected TREE (note the singular! :-) alive.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Apples and
Oranges: A Demonstration -- Welcome to Hooterville! Population:
2000. Elevation: 3000. Established: 1850. TOTAL = 6850 -- Bob
Lilienfield

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Ken Rutledge++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Collecting is VERY species dependant. I don't have the magazine in front
of me (it's been returned to the club library) but I'm guessing you are
referring to Swamp Cypress -Taxodium distichum. This is one of those
that can be collected easily with few major roots, so long as it has
some fibrous roots close to the base of the trunk and is given the
correct aftercare.

Conversely, some trees are virtually impossible to collect despite the
very best efforts to obtain as much root as possible. In my experience
Juniperus communis fits this category. Air layering these is the only
way that is almost guaranteed.

Success also depends to a great extent upon your experience and the
aftercare that is given. This is why the advice always given is to
research properly the needs of the trees that you will be collecting. If
you can collect with someone who has experience with the types of tree
in your locality and absorb their advice, this will help.

Many observations have led me to believe that collecting at the right
time of year (also according to the weather in that particular year) is
often crucial. Collecting after a period of rain also helps.

This is also why I always suggest that beginners do not try to collect
anything until they have proved to themselves that they can keep similar
bought stock alive for a few years. Then start by collecting unwanted
garden stock to build up your experience. In this way the best specimens
that are collectable from the wild (a very limited resource) are not
doomed to a certain death in the hands of a novice.

When you are at the stage of feeling confident, and have obtained
written consent, then is the time to try your first wild collect. Limit
yourself to one good specimen and prove to yourself that you can keep it
alive for a year or three.

If you are already an old hand at keeping trees alive in
pots/containers, accept my apologies for "teaching granny to suck eggs",
but this does need repeating so that beginners don't get the wrong idea.
Much skill IS involved and our environment won't stand the pillaging
that would occur if everyone thought that this is the easiest route into
good bonsai.

Cheers

Kev Bailey
Vale Of Clwyd, North Wales

Subject: [IBC] Collecting from wild

I can't help but be amazed at how little roots it takes to collect a
tree
from the wild... except when I try! Bonsai Today Jan/Feb 04 issue. Does
anyone have any really good information on proper technique for
collecting?
I find articles like that very interesting but also vague.



---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.613 / Virus Database: 392 - Release Date: 04/03/2004

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Ken Rutledge++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Collecting is VERY species dependant. I don't have the magazine in front
of me (it's been returned to the club library) but I'm guessing you are
referring to Swamp Cypress -Taxodium distichum. This is one of those
that can be collected easily with few major roots, so long as it has
some fibrous roots close to the base of the trunk and is given the
correct aftercare.

Conversely, some trees are virtually impossible to collect despite the
very best efforts to obtain as much root as possible. In my experience
Juniperus communis fits this category. Air layering these is the only
way that is almost guaranteed.

Success also depends to a great extent upon your experience and the
aftercare that is given. This is why the advice always given is to
research properly the needs of the trees that you will be collecting. If
you can collect with someone who has experience with the types of tree
in your locality and absorb their advice, this will help.

Many observations have led me to believe that collecting at the right
time of year (also according to the weather in that particular year) is
often crucial. Collecting after a period of rain also helps.

This is also why I always suggest that beginners do not try to collect
anything until they have proved to themselves that they can keep similar
bought stock alive for a few years. Then start by collecting unwanted
garden stock to build up your experience. In this way the best specimens
that are collectable from the wild (a very limited resource) are not
doomed to a certain death in the hands of a novice.

When you are at the stage of feeling confident, and have obtained
written consent, then is the time to try your first wild collect. Limit
yourself to one good specimen and prove to yourself that you can keep it
alive for a year or three.

If you are already an old hand at keeping trees alive in
pots/containers, accept my apologies for "teaching granny to suck eggs",
but this does need repeating so that beginners don't get the wrong idea.
Much skill IS involved and our environment won't stand the pillaging
that would occur if everyone thought that this is the easiest route into
good bonsai.

Cheers

Kev Bailey
Vale Of Clwyd, North Wales

Subject: [IBC] Collecting from wild

I can't help but be amazed at how little roots it takes to collect a
tree
from the wild... except when I try! Bonsai Today Jan/Feb 04 issue. Does
anyone have any really good information on proper technique for
collecting?
I find articles like that very interesting but also vague.



---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.613 / Virus Database: 392 - Release Date: 04/03/2004

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Ken Rutledge++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Collecting is VERY species dependant. I don't have the magazine in front
of me (it's been returned to the club library) but I'm guessing you are
referring to Swamp Cypress -Taxodium distichum. This is one of those
that can be collected easily with few major roots, so long as it has
some fibrous roots close to the base of the trunk and is given the
correct aftercare.

Conversely, some trees are virtually impossible to collect despite the
very best efforts to obtain as much root as possible. In my experience
Juniperus communis fits this category. Air layering these is the only
way that is almost guaranteed.

Success also depends to a great extent upon your experience and the
aftercare that is given. This is why the advice always given is to
research properly the needs of the trees that you will be collecting. If
you can collect with someone who has experience with the types of tree
in your locality and absorb their advice, this will help.

Many observations have led me to believe that collecting at the right
time of year (also according to the weather in that particular year) is
often crucial. Collecting after a period of rain also helps.

This is also why I always suggest that beginners do not try to collect
anything until they have proved to themselves that they can keep similar
bought stock alive for a few years. Then start by collecting unwanted
garden stock to build up your experience. In this way the best specimens
that are collectable from the wild (a very limited resource) are not
doomed to a certain death in the hands of a novice.

When you are at the stage of feeling confident, and have obtained
written consent, then is the time to try your first wild collect. Limit
yourself to one good specimen and prove to yourself that you can keep it
alive for a year or three.

If you are already an old hand at keeping trees alive in
pots/containers, accept my apologies for "teaching granny to suck eggs",
but this does need repeating so that beginners don't get the wrong idea.
Much skill IS involved and our environment won't stand the pillaging
that would occur if everyone thought that this is the easiest route into
good bonsai.

Cheers

Kev Bailey
Vale Of Clwyd, North Wales

Subject: [IBC] Collecting from wild

I can't help but be amazed at how little roots it takes to collect a
tree
from the wild... except when I try! Bonsai Today Jan/Feb 04 issue. Does
anyone have any really good information on proper technique for
collecting?
I find articles like that very interesting but also vague.



---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.613 / Virus Database: 392 - Release Date: 04/03/2004

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Ken Rutledge++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Could I get a few names of people/organizations that go on collecting trips.
I've collected all by my lonesome, and I think a group effort would make for
a wonderful learning process.

Keith
Eastern NC
zone 7/8

"Jim Lewis" wrote in message
news:007d01c40a8a$8e703760$24102cc7@pavilion...
Hello Darcy,

If you want to go collecting, then come along on the annual
collecting
trip of the Bonsai Society of Edmonton. It is on the second
weekend of May
every year and we collect west of you near Rocky Mountain House
and out past
Nordegg. We've been doing this since our Society was formed
more than twenty
(20) years ago. Contact me off-list for details and a meeting
place.

Best wishes in bonsai,
Les Dowdell
President, Bonsai Society of Edmonton



Highly recommended, Darcy. By the end of the trip, you should
actually know what you are doing and have some tips on keeping
your newly collected TREE (note the singular! :-) alive.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Apples and
Oranges: A Demonstration -- Welcome to Hooterville! Population:
2000. Elevation: 3000. Established: 1850. TOTAL = 6850 -- Bob
Lilienfield


************************************************** **************************
****
++++Sponsored, in part, by Ken Rutledge++++

************************************************** **************************
****
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Could I get a few names of people/organizations that go on collecting trips.
I've collected all by my lonesome, and I think a group effort would make for
a wonderful learning process.

Keith
Eastern NC
zone 7/8

"Jim Lewis" wrote in message
news:007d01c40a8a$8e703760$24102cc7@pavilion...
Hello Darcy,

If you want to go collecting, then come along on the annual
collecting
trip of the Bonsai Society of Edmonton. It is on the second
weekend of May
every year and we collect west of you near Rocky Mountain House
and out past
Nordegg. We've been doing this since our Society was formed
more than twenty
(20) years ago. Contact me off-list for details and a meeting
place.

Best wishes in bonsai,
Les Dowdell
President, Bonsai Society of Edmonton



Highly recommended, Darcy. By the end of the trip, you should
actually know what you are doing and have some tips on keeping
your newly collected TREE (note the singular! :-) alive.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Apples and
Oranges: A Demonstration -- Welcome to Hooterville! Population:
2000. Elevation: 3000. Established: 1850. TOTAL = 6850 -- Bob
Lilienfield


************************************************** **************************
****
++++Sponsored, in part, by Ken Rutledge++++

************************************************** **************************
****
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Could I get a few names of people/organizations that go on collecting trips.
I've collected all by my lonesome, and I think a group effort would make for
a wonderful learning process.

Keith
Eastern NC
zone 7/8

"Jim Lewis" wrote in message
news:007d01c40a8a$8e703760$24102cc7@pavilion...
Hello Darcy,

If you want to go collecting, then come along on the annual
collecting
trip of the Bonsai Society of Edmonton. It is on the second
weekend of May
every year and we collect west of you near Rocky Mountain House
and out past
Nordegg. We've been doing this since our Society was formed
more than twenty
(20) years ago. Contact me off-list for details and a meeting
place.

Best wishes in bonsai,
Les Dowdell
President, Bonsai Society of Edmonton



Highly recommended, Darcy. By the end of the trip, you should
actually know what you are doing and have some tips on keeping
your newly collected TREE (note the singular! :-) alive.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Apples and
Oranges: A Demonstration -- Welcome to Hooterville! Population:
2000. Elevation: 3000. Established: 1850. TOTAL = 6850 -- Bob
Lilienfield


************************************************** **************************
****
++++Sponsored, in part, by Ken Rutledge++++

************************************************** **************************
****
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++